Posts Tagged ‘Marc Jacobs’

There are many hatmakers who just make hats, and who don’t think about the fashion. I love thinking about the fashion, and the crazy thing about fashion is that every six months you have to reinvent yourself. Fashion makes sense when it matches the mood and the moment. It’s about the now.

Stephen Jones, English Milliner

This year Mr. Jones celebrates his 60th birthday and 40 years making hats!

Jones has made remarkable hats and fascinators for everyone from Boy George and Isabella Blow to Princess Diana and most recently Pippa Middleton. He has worked with designers John Galliano, Jean Paul Gaultier and Marc Jacobs to name just a few, while also maintaining his own line of hats.

A Club Boy back in the 70s, Jones studied at St. Martin’s in London. He began making hats for friends in 1977 and hasn’t looked back since. Today he creates head-turning masterpieces in his studio/shop located in an 18th century Convent Garden building. (What a perfect spot for inspiration.)

Congratulations to Stephen Jones. Here’s to may more years of fabulous hats!!

As one who celebrates and strives for diversity, individual freedom and respect for all lifestyles, I will not participate in dressing or associating in any way with the next First Lady. The rhetoric of racism, sexism and xenophobia unleashed by her husband’s presidential campaign are incompatible with the shared values we live by. I encourage my fellow designers to do the same.

– Sophie Theallet, French fashion designer and designer for Michelle Obama. This quote was taken from an open letter from Ms. Theallet released shortly after the election of Trump.

Sophie Theallet was the first to say it and since then many other designers including Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, and Phillip Lim have also stated they would not dress Melania Trump. But there are others who claim they would be honored. The Daily Mail reported Tommy Hilfiger and B. Michael are interested. (I’m very sorry to hear about B. Michael as he is one of my favorite designers.)

Now it’s true that Ms. Trump can buy whomever she wants off-the-rack and that is what she’s been doing but usually designers are lining up to work with any new First Lady. Even the unpopular Nancy Reagan had her go-to designers such as Oscar de la Renta, and as far as I know no one refused to design for her.

I think it speaks volumes that not only are some designers NOT anxious to work with Ms. Trump but that others are using this opportunity to take a stand against the horrors of Trump and his cronies. It seems Ms. Trump is beyond unpopular, by association and frankly, by her absence of First Lady qualities. Not to mention her apparent lack of interest in being First Lady.

Thank you Sophie Theallet, Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, Phillip Lim and all the designers and artists who are standing strong against what is wrong. You are an inspiration!

Sadly, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala has become nothing more than a celebrity spectacle. With the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, and Justin Bieber showing up looking like clowns, the event-of-the-year that used to be an evening of elegance for people in the fashion industry and their supporters has descended into Hollywood Trash Night.

This year’s gala celebrated the opening of China: Through the Looking Glass, an exhibition that explores the inspiration Chinese culture has had on western fashion. Some attendees (and their stylists) took the theme of the exhibit and went mad with oversized headdresses and excessive sequins. Others came up with their own theme – Raunchy – and sported revealing gowns that showed off what, I guess, they think is their best assets. Too bad for them.

Sorry SJP this is not a good look for you.

In my online research I spotted only two well-dressed women – Cher, which is surprising as she is usually leading the Trash Pack, and Chinese actress Ni Ni. Notice they chose elegant gowns with the subtle interest in the fabric. Excess isn’t necessary nor is semi-nudity. Follow a theme, yes, but don’t overdo it.

I recently saw the 2007 documentary Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton and actually, watched it twice. It was fascinating to see Mr. Jacobs at work brainstorming ideas with his team, designing on fit models and planning runway shows, all while puffing away on cigarette after cigarette. And … he had to do this twice: once in Paris for the brand Louis Vuitton and then again in NYC for his own line, Marc Jacobs. (But this is no longer the case since Mr. Jacobs left his position as creative director at LV in fall 2013.)

Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton includes commentary by Mr. Jacobs as well as other fashion industry notables like Anna Wintour, in-house and backstage footage, and close-up peeks at fashion artisans at work.

For example, we’re in on a creative meeting where Mr. Jacobs comes up with the crazy idea of making a tote from VL handbags. Then later we watch several artisans work on the bag, speaking French, trying to stitch leather on a huge industrial sewing machine. It looked like pure hell putting that bag together but the LV staff persevered (I suspect all French cursing was edited out) and got it done minutes before the Paris Fashion Week runway show. Apparently, 28 of those bags were ordered as a result. I wonder if the intrepid artisans got the hang of it by number 27.

This film is a very informative behind-the-scenes view of the hectic life of a corporate fashion designer. It’s like taking a super fun fashion class without pop quizzes.

It’s kind of a charmed situation. Anything that is associated with Marc Jacobs instantly becomes popular. It’s sort of the combination of extremely beautiful, extremely unpretentious, and extremely hip. I mean, the cachet is extraordinary.

Even as a fashion writer it’s difficult to think spring when we’re just entering fall. But for you my dear readers, I endured the struggle and took a peek at the spring 2012 fashion shows. Here’s what to keep in mind:

Continuation of color and prints.

The 1920s is favored with dropped waist evening dresses and lots o’ beads.

The tuxedo is a big look updated with wide-leg pants.

Pencil skirts are still hot but with a new twist – draped.

Cropped tops. (Back again?)

Athletic fabrics, especially mesh.

White and more white in lace, eyelet, and sheer fabrics.

Designers that spoke to me:

I always enjoy Ralph Lauren for his classic American designs. He continues to find inspiration in the 1920s. Sheer fabric dresses and skirts in subtle pastels. Floral scarves, cloche hats, lacy cardis and three-piece suits. Super palazzo pants paired with super platform shoes. Beaded gowns for evening in white and silver. Both day and evening wear are fabulously elegant but without the fuss.

Vivienne Westwood is another favorite of mine. I admire her tailoring and unexpected use of plaids. For the most part this spring season Westwood avoids bright colors and instead keeps to creams, pale blues, and black. She shows a lot of draped dresses, which really, only a very tall woman can wear. But there are some rockin’ plaid skirts with a flounce and the most unstructured suit I’ve ever seen – straight skirt, jacket has draped collar, and belted at the waist. (Pictured above.)

Marc Jacobs is all about layers, fringe and movement for spring. Cropped jackets with fringe at the hems paired with sheath dresses embellished with silicone fringe. (Reminds me a bit of Paco Rabanne, who in the 1960s designed a line of clothing using materials such as metal and plastic.) The fringe and iridescent fabrics sway and shine with every movement for a dramatic effect. Sixties style coats – short with sleeves to the elbow – are the signature silhouette. Smart bowling bags and gym totes in fun shades of green and gold. Jacobs wasn’t the only designer to show thin socks with pumps. This is a look that repeats itself season after season, but has yet to translate onto the streets.